EU NUMBNESS – if you wade through the reporting on the EU, Turkey and Cyprus over the past few weeks, you might be left with a sense of numbness due in part to the confusing messages that come from different quarters. Depending on who you are, where you are speaking from will determine what you are saying. So all Turkish commentators on the matter will refer to Cyprus in the EU as ‘Greek Cyprus’. On the other hand, some local Greek Cypriot politicians seriously believe the formula of Turkey recognising us and in the process de-recognising the self-declared ‘TRNC’ is a feasible thing to demand from the EU.
In the end, it seems like every one got there in the end. It remains to be seen if politicians in power in Turkey can appease the narrow-mindedness that exists on us however. Reading several Turkish commentaries on the web this week one does get the impression that the EU is joining Turkey – without Cyprus – and not vice versa – with all 25 EU members.
Simultaneously, the coalition that rules the plantation, herding Greek Cypriots to vote ‘no’ but allegedly still believing ‘yes’ needs to needs to clarify what it wants. Papadopoulos gives out confusing messages sometimes – or maybe he is only acting on behalf of his rather confused political partners. On the one hand, he likes to pose as the person who will use the ‘veto’ – yet on the other in actual fact, and much to the displeasure of the distant disenchanted factions of the withering rose coalition he backs down. Now Prodrom Prodrom slates him, when he once backed him. Now Koutsou & the New Eurokoko blast him. Whatever happened to the binding unity of the ‘no’ vote.
The 73 per cent are bound for life and the rest, who voted ‘yes’ are deemed and doomed as ‘traitors’. Despite the fact that Papadopoulos hails from DIKO, the ‘Deomcratic Party’, he, more than any other President, has fostered and practised an open form of sectarianism. It will take us all a long time to recover from the polarisation of the past couple of years.
SLOVAKIA BOUND – local rappers Sofoz_MC & Funkit are bound for Slovakia to take their own brand of Cyprus HipHop to the Slovak masses. The artists will be taking part in a ten-day national tour of Slovakia with musicians from many EU countries . It’s a great opportunity for the two local MCs, who will be making their first appearances abroad. Funkit is also very pleased with his recent name change. By dropping the ‘C’ for an ‘N’ he now gets some paid gigs!
NEW TV OLD TV – as the new TV season beckons, it’s fair to say that we will be having more of the same, copies of copies and counter copies with shows that lack any adventure or depth. ‘Psarka’ – ‘The Fish’ now moves to Sigma and becomes wait for it ‘ChryssoPsara’ – The Goldfish. Same formula, same writer, same actors, give or take one or two, plus the punch lines still suck.
Sticking with the same station, the new Chakkas-inspired ‘beyond the neighbours running TV sitcom’ is a copy of an idea from Greek TV about mainland Turks and Greeks falling in love – or having, dare we say it, relationships. Same thing exists on Mega in Greece. The show must have cost a large fortune to produce as much of the filming was done in Turkey.
@Live again makes the mistake of letting its summer ‘kids’ presenters team go, who look a lot younger (but some times don’t know their pop – quote ‘who are The Eurhythmics?’). In their place we have two substantially older radio jocks turned TV VJs. The formula that radio and TV are the same is a flawed one – but hopefully these ‘new’ dudes will know who The Eurythmics are!
‘Bingo’ is back of course, despite CyBC breaking broadcasting rules criteria. But the return of this rather embarrassing excuse for making money out of punters comes without Katie Laspa! The contract expired – Laspa quit – it all remains a mystery. New presenter is a top Greek model who flies in and out and gets paid loadsadosh. Same goes for Sigma’s adaptation of ‘Family Fortunes’, only the presenter is the well experienced Fiorentinos. Great presenter, but I am not sure if he is overexposing himself by being on so many shows at once. Anyway, whatever happens, I’ll tune into the satellite, watch ‘Desperate Housewives’ and may be ‘EastEnders’ and dream on about the day when real, original TV shows are finally made in Cyprus.
